Preventing Kidney Stones

How can I avoid getting more stones?

Eat wisely

Unless your stones are linked to a specific disease, the lifestyle and diet choices you make have a major impact on your likelihood of developing more stones. An overall strategy includes reaching and maintaining a healthy weight, and changing your diet. For most patients with kidney stones, especially those due to calcium oxalate, dietary recommendations are neither complicated nor bland.

There is no “one size fits all” diet for preventing kidney stones. Be sure to talk to your physician nor medical team to help develop a diet tailored to your specific needs.

Include stone-inhibiting foods in your diet

Fruits and vegetables provide a wide array of stone-inhibiting substances that can help prevent all types of urinary tract stones. These inhibitors include potassium, magnesium, fiber, citric acid, phytate, and antioxidants. Try to eat at least 5 servings of a variety of fruits and vegetables every day.

Drink more fluids

It’s the job of your kidneys to remove waste products from your body. Every day they collect about 2 quarts of waste products and extra water. The kidneys then turn this into urine. Each time you urinate, you are getting rid of the waste products and extra water.

To do their job right, the kidneys need lots of fluids. This is because fluids help to keep urine diluted enough to prevent crystals containing substances such as calcium and uric acid from forming. When urine is too concentrated or not “watered down” enough, kidney stones may form.